There have always been two kinds of Princeton students: those with cars and those without.
But this may soon change.
As of this September, Princeton University has forged a partnership with Zipcar, a service that lets members rent cars by the hour for errands, the visiting friends or even just going to movies.
Location
Members can use the four cars in the Princeton area, as well as any Zipcar in the metropolitan areas of Boston, New York City and Washington. Students must be at least 21 years old to join Zipcar.
Vice President of Marketing Nancy Rosenzweig said, "Having a car on campus can be often costly and cumbersome. Zipcar offers students the freedom and convenience of owning a car without the cost and hassles."
Theo Bower '04, a new member, said, "I decided to become a member of Zipcar because I am independent and want to have the freedom to go to the grocery store. I also think that it will be a great alternate to using the train to get away for the weekend."
Costs
Membership is 20 dollars per year for Princeton students and staff. On weekdays the cars cost eight dollars per hour and 40 cents per mile; for the whole day, cars cost 65 dollars with 125 miles included. Weekends are more expensive; the cars cost 10 dollars per hour or 85 dollars for the day. Rates include gas, insurance and all other costs associated with using a car.
The yearly membership fee has been discounted for Princeton staff and students in exchange for promotional considerations.
Zipcar first entered the Princeton scene last Spring. Former Mayor Marvin Reed welcomed Zipcar to alleviate downtown traffic and parking problems.
"Our hope is that we will encourage our citizens to use Zipcars in lieu of their own cars as often as possible. It's time that we all begin rethinking our dependence on privately owned vehicles," Reed said in a statement.
"The studies we've seen indicate that each self-serve car takes as many as 12 privately owned cars off the road. If we initially achieve just a 20 percent adoption rate, it will have a major impact on traffic and quality of life in our town. Zipcar offers a win-win situation for everyone."
Though Zipcar has been part of campus life for only a week, Rosenzweig said, "We were very encouraged by the initial interest."
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